Tipping mechanism for a steelworks converter



Aug. 17, 1965 ca. LAFAY TIPPING MECHANISM FOR A STEELWORKS CONVERTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1962 Aug. 17, 1965 G. LAFAY 3,201,106

TIPPING MECHANISM FOR A STEELWORKS CONVERTER Filed Feb. 12, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet .2

Aug. 17, 1965 a. LAFAY TIPPING MECHANISM FOR A STEELWORKS CONVERTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 12, 1962 Aug. 17, 1965 LAFAY 3,291,106

TIPPING MECHANISM FOR A STEELWORKS CONVERTER Filed Feb. 12, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,201,106 TIPPING MECHANISM FUR A STEELWQRKS EGNVERTER Georges Lafay, Le Creusot, France, assignor to Societe des Forges et Ateliers du Creusot, Paris, Francma company of France Filed Feb. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 172,507 3 Claims. (Cl. 266-36) The invention relates to a tipping mechanism for a steelworks converter.

Controlling the tip of a steelworks converter generally involves difficulties because of the fact that the trunnion of the converter moves in relation to the tip-control shaft. This relative movement is due to distortion in the installation as a whole.

It has already been proposed to provide a deformable coupling between the journal of the converter and its control shaft in order to allow for any misalignment which may occur between the trunnion and the control shaft.

This solution exhibits in particular the disadvantage of being bulky, and generally leads to a relatively expensive embodiment.

Moreover, it is an advantage to have two motors running at different speeds to control the tip of a converter, one giving a slow tip for accurate operations (adjusting the pouring jet for example), and the other giving a rapid tip for movements of large amplitude.

However, some difficulty is involved in placing these two motors in position.

Finally, it is advantageous to control the tip of the converter via a toothed wheel keyed to the trunnion of the converter, two pinions being in mesh with the said toothed wheel in order to balance the control forces; however, this control action involves difiiculties which are due in particular to distortion in the installation.

The invention enables the tip of a converter to be controlled by the action of two pinions on a toothed wheel keyed to the trunnion on which the converter tips, the force being equally distributed between these two pinions in spite of distortion in the instillation, and whatever the speed of tipping, slow or rapid.

The invention consequently relates to a tipping mecln nism for a steelworks converter, comprising a toothed Wheel mounted directly on the trunnion of the converter, characterised in particular in that it comprises two carriages equipped with rollers running on smooth portions of the toothed wheel, the carriages each having a driving pinion in mesh with the toothed wheel, and in that the two pinions are driven, if required via reduction gears, by a mechanical differential comprising planetary and satellite elements, each planetary element driving one of the pinions, and the satellite carrier receiving the driving motion.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to one particular form of embodiment which is given by way of example and illustrated in the drawings.

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of a converter equipped with a tipping mechanism according to the invention, the converter being partially sectioned.

FIGURE 2 is a view along II-II in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view along III-III in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a section along IV-IV in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a section along VV in FIGURE 2.

FIG. 6 is a detailed showing of the dilferential mechanism of FIG. 5. 1

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view on the line VIIVII of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view on the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7. i i

The converter 1 is equipped with trunnions 2 (FIG. 2) pivoting in the bearings 3. One of the two t-runnions of the converter is fast with a toothed control wheel 4 (FIGS. 1-4).

The said toothed wheel is driven by two pinions 5 (FIGS. 1 and 4) carried by carriages 6. These carriages 6 are connected to the frame 7 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the installation by links 8, articulated at 9 to the frame and at 10 to the carriages (FIG. 1).

Theses links are extensible, and to this end they are made up of telescopic members subjected to the action of springs which return them to a mean position. It must be noted that the said links behave in rigid fashion under normal forces. When an abnormal forces occurs, the elasticity enables any shocks to be absorbed, and an electrical contact may be actuated in order to trip the safety devices.

Moreover, each carriage 6 comprises rollers 11 and 12 (FIGS. 1 and 4) running on smooth portions 13a and 13b fast with the toothed wheel 4 (FIG. 4).

The rollers 11 run on the internal smooth portion 13a while the rollers 12 run on the external portion 13b.

The rollers 11 and 12 carried by the carriages 6 therefore keep the carriages 6 in a fixed position with respect to the axis of the toothed wheel 4 by hearing against the interior 13a and exterior 13b of a smooth cylindrical portion fast with the toothed wheel 4.

It follows from this that the carriages 6 can move with respect to the fixed installation, following any distortion which may occur while the toothed wheel 4 is rotating.

Each of the carriages 6 carries a pinion 5 (FIGS. 1 and 4), which is in mesh with the teeth on the toothed wheel 4. Therefore, no jamming can occur between the driving pinions 5 and the toothed wheel 4 during rotation.

The pinions 5 are driven via reduction gears '14 (FIG. 4) which are themselves actuated through universal joints 15.

The universal joints 15 are connected to the two output shafts 17 (FIG. 5) of a mechanical differential equipped with planetary elements 18 in mesh with satellites 19.

The satellites 19 (whereof only one is illustrated in FIGURE 5 for the sake of greater clarity) are mounted in a rotary satellite-carrier 20 fast with a toothed wheel 21.

This toothed wheel 21 in mesh with teeth 22 on a rotary casing 23 (FIG. 5).

This casing 23 carries a shaft 24 rotating in races 25 and 26 in the casing. The shaft 24 is fast with a small pinion 27 and a large pinion 28.

The small pinion 27 is in mesh with a large pinion 29 driven by an electric motor 30 via a combined coupling and brake 31.

The large pinion 28 is in mesh with a small pinion 32 driven by a second electric motor 33 via another combined coupling and brake 34.

When the combined coupling and brake 34 prevents the pinion 32 from rotating and the electric motor 30 rotates without the brake 31 participating, the satellite-carrier 2.0 is driven at high speed. It follows from this. that the converter 1 is driven at high speed, the tipping force being equally distributed between the two pinions 5 by virtue of the mechanical differential I8, 19 and 20.

On the contrary, when the brake 31 is applied and the brake 34 released, the motor 33 drives the pinion 32 while the pinion 2% is stationary. The casing 23 rotates at low speed, and the converter is likewise tipped at low speed.

The tipping mechanism which has just been described enables positive control to be carried out by means of the two pinions 5 with practically no appreciable play on the part of the toothed wheel 4 keyed to the trunnion 2 of the converter, the forces being properly distributed between the said two pinions. r

This mechanism completely avoids the critical use of a coupling allowing for any misalignment between the trunnion of the converter and the driving shaft.

The invention is naturally not limited by the form of embodiment which has just been described, which form could be modified in detail without departing from the scope of the invention.

In particular,vthe gear-train 22, 23, 26, 28, 29 and 30 could be modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claimis:

1. In tipping mechanism for a steel works converter, a converter, a trunnion for said converter, a toothed wheel mounteddirectly on said trunnion, rims having inner and outer smooth surfaces on said wheel, two carriages spaced from each other and mounted adjacent the periphery of said wheel, rollers mounted on said carriages running on said smooth surfaces, a driving pinion on each of said carriages in mesh with said toothed wheel, a

mechanical differential driving said pinions, planetary and satellite elements for said differential, each of said planetary elements driving one of said pinions, a satellite carrier for said elements and means for rotating said carrier.

2. Mechanism as described in claim 1, said mechanicaldifferential transmitting motion to said pinion through universal joints.

3. Mechanism as described in claim 1,, said satellite carrier being rotated by a gear train and two motors having different speeds and operating alternately connected to said gear train.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,267,855 5/18' Doran- 74665 2,976,090 3/61 MCI-eaters 266-36 X 3,031,177 4/62 Hofmeister 26636 JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary. Examiner;

JAMES H. TAYMAN, 111., MORRIS O. WOLK,

Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,201,106 August 17, 1965 Georges Lafay In the heading to t he printed specification, after line 7, insert the following:

Claims priority, application France, Feb. 13,

column 2 line 1 2, for "Theses" read These line 16, for "forces", second occurrence, read force line 48, after "21" insert is column 4, line 17, for "McFeaters -266-36 X" read McFeaters- 266-36 XR Signed and sealed this 10th day of May 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN TIPPING MECHANISM FOR A STEEL WORKS CONVERTER, A CONVERTER, A TRUNNION FOR SAID CONVERTER, A TOOTHED WHEEL MOUNTED DIRECTLY ON SAID TRUNNION, RIMS HAVING INNER AND OUTER SMOOTH SURFACES ON SAID WHEEL, TWO CARRIAGES SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND MOUNTED ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID WHEEL, ROLLERS MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGES RUNNING ON SAID SMOOTH SURFACES, A DRIVIG PINION ON EACH 